Kindred Spirits

I had cocktails with My Girls tonight. A pre-holiday mixer, if you will. I'd missed the last two and Tk was determined she was going to have a martini with myself & Lo Lo, and she wasn't takin' No for an answer!
(She's so bossy sometimes.....!)

Lo had the day off so she was at the bar early to get us "our table" in the back. Tk arrived about a minute before me, and I found her staring at a gift bag shakin' her head. There was only seat left at the table for three (see why it's our table?) and that seat had a gift bag on it as well.

What the hell is this shit?, I say as I eighty-six the bag to the floor with my purse, and haul my fat ass up and into the bar stool type seat.

That's what I'm sayin'!, quips Tk, still shakin her head.

I got you guys a little something....that's all. It's Christmas!, squeaks Lo with a big smile on her face.

Well, I didn't know "we" were doing this...... says Trace, clearly disgusted that she didn't think of it first cuz she's the Social Coordinator and this be her domain!

I didn't know "we" were doing this either.........I say all dejected....... So it's a good thing I came prepared!, I yell as I whip out two lip gloss tubes from my purse.

Tk is now really displeased and shoots me her: I'M SO NOT PLEASED WITH YOU! look.

I turn over the lip gloss so I can read their labels and say........ "Pink Lady" for my pink lady, Sister!, and hand Leah her gloss. She squeals and instantly applies the gloss to her lips. Is it sparkle-y?, she asks. FROSTY and sparkle-y, Babe!, I say. And she smiles so wide her eyes crinkle.

I turn to Trace, hand over her gloss and say, "Life Preserver"......for my life preserver. Really?, she asks. Really, Trace. I chose the gloss for the names. It's a fkn bonus that the colors happen to match the both of you! Tk shines her lips with her new gloss; turns to Leah so they both can admire one anothers mouths and then she turns back to me and says in her "you are still in trouble tone": You and me....we're picking up the tab.

Yeah..... your look established that a few paces back!

90 minutes with My Girls....bitchin' about work; hypothesizing over the latest gossip (so juicy!); lamenting Christmas gifts (when is enough?), and just enjoying each other's company.

Classic Moments. I can always count on these two having at least one during any period of time we are together.

Leah's came at the beginning of cocktail hour, after Tk & I had ordered our martinis. The waiter apparently thought he was excused and tried to walk away when Lo Lo piped up and said she'd like to order a few appetizers. We all agree that's a good idea and Lo says she'd like the Spinach Artichoke Dip. Tk & I concur that's a great choice and Trace looks to me for another option, and I wave her off because we tend to gravitate towards the same thing so she says, And an order of the Pom Freets.

I'm guessing I gave her a quizzical look, cuz in my head I was thinking "Pomme Frites"......"pretty sure the tes is silent.... more like free" to which Trace says aloud, Pom Free?; to which the waiter says, "Pom Free? Yes...." ; to which Lo Lo snaps: THE FRENCH FRIES! We'll take the french fries!

To which the waiter says: Exactly......, and scoots along. We all bust out laughing as Leah snarks, For fks sake...... I go hungry while you two try to figure out how to pronounce it!

Tk wrapped our evening with her moment. She & I are splitting the tab and I ask her how much she's tipping cuz I ain't gonna be the cheap one at the table, and she tosses out her number which was the number I was thinking was fair, so I nod I agree and go back to signing my credit card slip. I can't recall how the topic of our waiter came up; perhaps I said I thought he was a good server....but whatever was said prompted Tk to gripe in a voice that was dripping with both sarcasm and entitlement: Yeah...about that. We come here for the upscale atmosphere and high priced cocktails which can all be justified when we are SERVED by a 23 year old hottie! Which, I might add, was sorely lacking at this table. Present company excluded, I feel totally gyped by our experience and I'm pretty sure I'm speaking to a manager about it. I want to be SERVED by a boy I can imagine tying me to a chair and making me do and say bad, bad things......not by a someone who looks likely to be studying podiatry!

Insert all of us erupting into a fit of laughter, Tk so hard she's got a few tears in her eyes.....because as she & I prove to the world on a daily basis: we are our best audience!

And here's where I make my point:
It's such a small gesture, making time for your friends; but the rewards are monumental. I always walk away from time with my girlfriends feeling invigorated. Like being near their energy somehow re- inflates my spirit. I feel like this after a stolen Sunday with Lyndie; or an hour with Kristin during our IM dates. Our personalities are unique and yet there are enough similarities that we just gel. This inner circle of mine.....these girls whom I let in; who know the real me.....and still love me. They are a gift.

Merry Christmas to ME!